The Dog Owner’s Guide to Health Emergencies

Practical guidance for identifying and treating canine emergencies from an experienced emergency veterinarian.

The wonderful world of dogs is, obviously, made up of a vast number of breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Importantly, some breeds are more susceptible to certain injuries or medical problems. For example, pups with slim, long legs are at higher risk for leg trauma; short-snouted dogs, such as pugs, are more likely to experience breathing problems. The better you understand your pooch’s potential vulnerabilities, the better prepared you will be in an emergency. Chivvis’ key point in the first chapter is the importance of anticipating contingencies before health issues occur. The author recommends preparing a dedicated canine first-aid kit (“A well-equipped first-aid kit is a lifesaver in emergencies”), which should include, among other items, sterile gauze pads, self-adhesive bandages (i.e., “vetwrap”), wound cleaners, cold/hot packs, tweezers, and disposable gloves. Additionally, Chivvis suggests readers keep at hand critical phone numbers and addresses for their pets’ regular vets and local emergency vets. Chapter 2 discusses the treatment and prevention of the 10 most common emergencies, which are spinal pain, trauma, heatstroke, seizures, bloat, allergic reactions, hemoabdomen, congestive heart failure, vomiting, and bite wounds. Subsequent chapters cover such topics as toxic substances (human foods and assorted poisons), distinguishing minor from major emergencies, standard preventatives (like leashing and fenced enclosures), and a general review of all the previous material. Chivvis presents the information in lucid, easily accessible prose, and she fills many of these pages with highly useful charts, diagrams, and line-drawing illustrations. (The textbook-style format would be enlivened by including some taken-from-experience anecdotes.) Though some of the material will be familiar to many pet parents, every now and then even seasoned dog people will find an intriguing explanatory gem; for example, in her discussion of heatstroke, the author cautions that, while it is good to give your pup small amounts of cool water and wrap them in a cool wet towel, it is critical not to use ice water or a frigid wrap—excessive cold will shrink and tighten the skin cells, thereby trapping the heat inside.

A well-organized, helpful reference manual.